Gate-latch.



S. A. SLAUSON.

GATE LATCH. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1913.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916;

STEBHEN snwso or anal; Bum IOWA- oa'rn-La'ren.

pec fi ti n Lett s R t- Patelited Mar. '7, 1916.

Application filed June 25, 1313. Serial No. 775,828.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, STEPHEN A. SLAUSON, acitizen of the United'States,resid ng at Cedar Rapids, 1n the county ofLinn and State of Iowa, have invented certain new 7 and usefulImprovements in Gate-Latches,

of which the followlng 1s a specification, reference being had thereinto the accom-v panying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in gate latchesand in particularto a latch for engagingtheswinging post of a folding swing gate. i

' The latch may be swung open in either direction and when pushed intoclosed position automatically engages the lat-ch which, looks it inclosed position. Latches of this general but I havedevised mine in sucha way that there is no possibil- 3 ity, of the latch failing to engagewhenthe awaythat when the free endof the gate gate is in elosed'posit1on and permit the gate to swmg by.

'A further advantage is the position ng of he engaging forks on thelatch in such is swung or folded to a position in which the latch end ofthe gate 1s the same dis-- t ance from the ground, its operation is notinterfered with. v My improved latch is simple in construction, the postengaging forks being duplicates and the entire latch being rea ilyassembled and mounted in position.

In the drawings, Figure l shows a side elevation of my improved latch asmounted on afence postand engaging the tubular gate post. Fig. 2 is aview'simila'r to Fig. 1 showing the latchend of the gate elevatedor'folded to a position above the ground. Fig; 3 is a front view of myimproved latch, parts of the center being broken away. Fig. 4; is a planview of the latch when in normal locked. position. Fig. 5 is a viewsimilar to Fig. a showing a latch swung to permit the opening of, thegate; Fig. 6 is a plan view f e f t ga e e g ging r detac from the latchI hanism. Fig. 7 is a side elevation ofthe fork shown in Fig. 6." Fig.

8 is a vertical fragmentary sectional view is constructed sothat thegate stated, the opening 'in back to a horizontal plane,

' order to raise thela'tch end above the ground as is oftentlmesdesirable in order to permitsmall livestock to pass through the gateWithout permitting the passage of larger animals. A coil spring 1, oneend of which is connected tothe upper corner of the gate adjacent thepivotal endconnected to a wire lower diagonally opposite, corner of thegate. Th's causes the front or latchend of the gate to normally have atendency to raise, and in order to control this'movement and permit theelevation of the front only when desired, a tension or lock wire 3'extends midway of the lower portion of the'gate upward to the corner ofthe gate opposite to that to'which the swing end i'sconneeted and thereengages a series ofnotches The gate'engaging members of the latchcomprisetwo forked'pieees ,5 provided with upward extending collars; 6.A rectangle opening 7 is formed in eachpf the collars 6 te ing dow hrogh t ffork anda ug v s fo d on it upp nt d A vertical fiat bar 8 is slidthrough the opening 7 on two' of the forks and fits loosely therein soasto permit longitudinal movement of the bar within the forks. Securedameter somewhat greater than that of the collars 6. These, shoulders 10provide pivotal supports for theforks 5. As previously the shoulder 10is of a diameter somewhat greater than that of the collars 6, and astheshoulder 10 is of comparatively thin metal, the collar 6 with its lug11 can, by tipping the fork 5, be in serted through the opening and whenswung the lug 11 will extend over the edge of the shoulder 10 and holdthe fork in position. The forks are in this manner pivotally mounted inthe brackets.

A latch member 12 is secured by the rivet l3 to'theupp'er end of the rod8 and is r0 vided witha rearward projection l4 w ich normally rests inthe opening formed between the two vertical walls 15 extending upwardfrom the bracket 9. Handles 16 extend outward from the latch member 12at each side at the post. A Spring 17 is post D, has its other 2extending to theing bracket, a fork having a positioned over the lowerend of the rod 8 and its upper end held tightly against the lower fork 5by means of a cotter pin 18 and washer 19 carried at the lower end ofthe ro v ,The spring 17- normally holds the rod 8 down and secures thelatch member '14 between the Walls'15 of the upper bracket 9. In orderto open the gate one of the handles 16 is grasped and moved upwardcarrying with it the'rod 8 and the latch member 12. When the-latchmember is raised to a po sition so that the extension 14, is above thetops of the walls 15, the rod, latch member, handles, and all may beswung in either direction carrying with them the gate engaging forks 5thus permitting the gate-to be swung open. The latch is then left inthis position. When the gate is swung closed, the post engages with thetwo forks 5, swinging them into the normal central'position whereuponthev spring 17 draws the rod 8 down, carrying-the extension 14 into thesocket between thebracket walls 15. The gateis thus locked in its closedposition and it 'is impossible for the gate'to swing by and ,openon theother side-as is frequently the case with forms of latches now in use.The forks are spaced a considerable distance apart on the rod 8 so as topermit the gate to be lifted, as in Fig. 2, and stillp'ermit theengagement of jthe forks "withthe post. This is of aparticula-radvantage in foldingv gates of the'type illustrated... i

I do not hereincla'im' any of the novel features of structure .which.characterize the gate, the claims herein being limited to mattersincident to the latch; having filed another application SerialNo.775,827, on June 25,-"1913, wherein are presented claims pertaining tothe gate.

What-I claim is i 1; A gate-fastener comprising a supportpivoted forswinging post 'of a gate, a rod ortion of non-circular crosssectionslida le through an a erature in the said fork, a latch carried ythe rod and connection with the cally 2. In a gate fastener comprising afork i pivoted for swinging connection with the post of a .gate, abracket in which the said fork is pivotally mounted, a rod having aportion of non-circular cross section vertislidable through an aperturein the fork, a latch member :mounted on the upper end of the rod andadapted to rest normally within a notch formed'in the bracket. and aspring engaging the rod to normally hold it in the position with thelatch in the notch.

'33. A gate fastener comprising a fork pivoted for swinging connectionwith the post of a gate, abracket within which said fork is pivoted, arod having a portion of non circular cross section keyed to the fork butvertically slidable in a corresponding noncircular aperture therein, alatch member secured on the up er end of the rod and adapted to normallyrest within a notch formed ,in the bracket, a spring positioned on therod to normally hold it in the position with the latch in the notch, andlatch operating handles diverging from each side of the saidlatclrmember.

4. A gate fastener comprising two forks pivoted for swinging connectionwith the post of agate and spaced vertically one from theother, bracketswithin which each of the forks are pivotally mounted. a rod having aportion of non-circular cross-section verti ca 1y slidable throughapertures in the said forks and brackets, a latch member secured on thesaid rod and normally resting within a notch formed in. one of thebrackets, and a spring positioned on the rod to normally hold it in thepositionwith the latch in the notch. i

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

STEPHEN A. SLAUSON. lVitnesses:

M. R. Zita, G. P. LINVILLE.

